Point of View

The novel is written in third-person limited, primarily from the perspective of Nate. This makes sense since the novel for the most part works as a kind of anthropological study of a middle-class modern man living in a major city. By choosing a third-person limited perspective to tell Nate’s story, the author has the advantage of offering his perspective while remaining at somewhat of a distance.

Most of the 17 chapters of the novel consist of Nate’s thought process, his internal monologue. Interspersed are flashbacks to his past, which help explain what in his background might have led to his situation in the present. Several chapters consist of scenes between Nate and the other primary character of Hannah, between Nate and one of his friends or parents, all of which provide some perspective outside of Nate’s mind. His interactions with friends and lovers...